Condition of Popular Highland Routes Criticized

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Condition of Popular Highland Routes Criticized

Owner of travel company Teitur Jónasson ehf., Haraldur Teitsson, has declared the road across Kjölur, a popular highland route which connects South and North Iceland, to be “horrible,” especially the northern side from Blöndulón to Seyðisá.

The road across Sprengisandur has recently been opened and Haraldur said his company has sent two buses across it, finding it to be difficult. “There’s a lot of mud in it,” he told Morgunblaðið.

Haraldur is critical of the Icelandic Road Administration. “We knew that they weren’t going to do much about [Sprengisandur] but they promised to repair the road across Kjölur. That promise hasn’t been delivered.”

Haraldur stated that his buses have been damaged because of the road’s condition.

Gísli Rafn Jónsson, who runs Mývatns Tours, offering tours by bus to Askja in the northeastern highlands, said the condition of the road to Askja is acceptable. “But there are still two kilometers that separate us from the parking spaces by Askja because of snow.”

Gísli added that the road above Drekagil canyon is hazardous because of water flow. “The water that flows along the road can reach a depth of up to 40 centimeters.”

Svanur G. Bjarnason, the Road Administration’s divisional manager in the southern territory, said new gravel paving will soon be established to improve the part of the Kjölur road leading from Blöndulón to Seyðisá.